Football legend Gica Popescu, adviser for Euro 2020

Prime Minister Mihai Tudose announced that former football player Gica Popescu accepted an adviser role, and he will work and advise on preparing the matches Romania will host as part of the European Football Tournament in 2020.

Gheorghe “Gică” Popescu was born on 9 October 1967 and he is truly a football legend. The retired Romanian football defender was former captain of FC Barcelona and key part of the Romania national team in the 1990s. He played for a lot of European clubs in those times, including a four-year contract at PSV Eindhoven. His tactical ability as a defender made him a valuable team member in top European competitions until he reached his late-thirties. Beside from his defending skills, he was also able to start attacks. He is the brother-in-law of fellow Romanian football player Gheorghe Hagi.

After playing six seasons for Universitatea Craiova, Popescu started to play for country giants Steaua Bucharest reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup during their 1987–88 campaign. He moved abroad to the Netherlands in 1990, and signed for PSV Eindhoven, helping them to keep among the top Dutch teams, until he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on September 1994.

At international level, Popescu is Romania’s all-time third most capped players with 115, in which he scored 16 goals. He played for his country in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups, Euro 96 and Euro 2000. He also entered the symbolic but exclusive circle of players with a century of caps.